Door openings in the OR linked to increased environmental contamination

By: Judy Mathias

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Editor’s Note

The number of door openings in the OR and duration of procedure were significantly associated with increased colony-forming units (CFUs) in the OR overall and outside of laminar airflow (LAF), this study finds.

In LAF conditions, however, only the number of OR personnel was significantly associated with increased CFUs. The relationship between increased staff and increased CFUs within LAF may be because of larger amounts of bacterial shedding from healthcare workers, the researchers note.

For the study, 48 procedures were observed, with an average 54 door openings per case. None of the patients developed an SSI.